This is a blog about the board games my son Tyler and I play, and humorous stories when applicable. We will both give reviews from our perspectives. Spoiler alert: I mostly lose, no matter what the game is.

We played on my 1980's Parker Brothers edition, but this game is still in print as we speak!

The Blurb

In this Sid Sackson
classic, players must press their luck with dice and choose
combinations tactically to close out three columns. The board has one
column for each possible total of two six-sided dice, but the number of
spaces in each column varies: the more probable a total, the more spaces
in that column and the more rolls it takes to complete. On their turn, a
player rolls four dice and arranges them in duos: 1 4 5 6 can become
1+4 and 5+6 for 5 & 11, 1+5 and 4+6 for 6 & 10, or 1+6 and 4+5
for 7 & 9. The player places or advances progress markers in the
open column(s) associated with their chosen totals, then chooses whether
to roll again or end their turn and replace the progress markers with
markers of their color. A player can only advance three different
columns in a turn and cannot advance a column which any player has
closed out by reaching the end space; if a roll doesn’t result in any
legal plays, the turn ends with that turn’s progress lost. A predecessor from 1974, The Great Races, exists as a paper-and-pencil game.

The Gist

Keep rollin', rollin', rollin...

The Play

When Tyler and I play can't stop, he generally just rolls like a crazy person and tries to get most of the game done on one roll. However that was not the case when I informed him we were playing for the blog. He stopped quite early on his first turn, and I had nothing.On his second turn, it became apparent I was in trouble, as he went on a big run and was able to move up pretty far. I got 6,7, and 8 as my numbers, and was psyched! ...Until I busted in two rolls. (insert loser music from price is right).

As we moved onto round 4, I still had nothing on the board. Tyler busted and I rolled 6,7& 8 again, and I was able to make up some ground!

In the sixth and seventh rounds, I claimed 6's and 11's respectively! One more to win and I get to put up a dad wins picture! And that's right about the time Ty mounted the comeback. In the ninth round, he grabbed 7's, and the next round he grabbed 5's. I moved up on 2's and rolled a 2 again! Just one away from winning! But I know my luck, and despite what the game says, I stop. Tyler is two away on the 8's anyways, and has not rolled one in forever, so I figured I had some wiggle room.
In round eleven, his 3 numbers were 2,8 & 9. He had rolled one 8, and only needed one more and...He does not do it! Oh wait, he rolled a 9, ugh. Ok, another roll and......he gets an 8 and wins.